Refillable fuse-cartridge.



l. E. BARRICKLOW.

REFILLABLE FUSE CARTRIDGE.

APPLICATION FILED ocT. Io. I9I4.

Patented Oct. 17, 1916.

2 SHEETS--SHEET l.

l. E. BARRICKLOW.

REFILLABLE FUSE CARTRIDGE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT-10.1914.

Patented Oct. 17, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

@Hmong IRVIN E. BARRICKLOW, 0F SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

REFILLABLE FUSE-CARTRIDGE.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, IRVIN E. BARRICKLOW, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Refillable F use-Cartridges, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in refllable fuse cartridges and is in the nature of an improvement upon my copending application, Serial No. 768,795, filed May 20, 1913.

In carrying out the present invention, it

is my purpose'to provide a refillable fuse Cartridge wherein the fusible element may be replaced when the same has blown out and wherein the condition of the fusible element will be indicated upon the cartridge so that the condition of the cartridge may be readily and conveniently ascertained at any time.

A further object of my invention is to improve and simplify the general construction of refillable fuse cartridges and to provide a cartridge which will embody few parts and these so correlated and arranged as to produce a compact cartridge and reduce the possibility of derangement to a minimum.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consistsin the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter set forth'in and falling within the scope of the claim.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a fuse cartridge constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view therethrough. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an end view of the cartridge. Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view through a modified form of cartridge. Fig. 7 is an end view thereof. Fig. 8 is a sectional view on the line 8 8 of Fig. 6. Fig. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view through a still further modified construction of fuse cartridge.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, 1 designates the body of a fuse cartridge, such body being in the form of an open ended tube provided with an inner lining 2 of asbestos or similar material, such lining being of -a length less than the similar di- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented oct. 17, 1916.

v Application filed October 10, 1914. Serial No. 866,078.

mension of the body. Also disposed within the body 1 at the opposite ends of the lining 2 are annular bands 3, 3 respectively formed with' threaded openings alining with apertures formed in the adjacent portions of the body, and closing the ends of the tubular body are cup-shaped caps 4, 4 havlng the' clrcular flanges thereof overlying the adjacent portions of the 'body and formed with apertures alining with the apertures 1n the body and the threaded openings in the bands 3 to receive securing screws l5j ivhereby the caps are rigidly held to the 6 designates what may be termed a capsule adapted to fit within the tubular body 1 of the cartridge and comprising a cylindrical tubular body 7 having the opposite ends thereof closed by means of end pieces 8, 8 disposed within the body and suitably secured therein. Passed through the capsule 6 longltudinally thereof is a fusible element 9, which, in the present instance, is in the form of a strip having the central portion thereof reduced in thickness and the opposite end portions extending through the caps 8 closing the'ends of the body of the capsule. Disposed within the capsule and surrounding the fusible element therein is a powder 10 of asbestos or analogous material. The length of the capsule 6 is less than that of the body l of the cartridge and when the capsule is disposed within the cartridge one end of the fusible element 9 is extended through a slot 11 formed in the end wall of one of the caps 4, and formed in the outer surface of such end wall and the contiguous portion of the side flange is a recess 12 Within which is seated a leaf spring 13 having one end fastened within such recess by means of one of the securing screws 5, and the opposite end normally tending to straighten'out,'that is, lie in a plane coeXtensive with the secured end. The eX- tending end of the fusible element 9 is lapped over the spring 13 and fixed by means of the screw 5 that passes through the leaf spring, cap flange and body. The end wall of the remaining cap 4 is also formed with a slot 14 alining with the slot 11` and through the slots 11 and 14 are passed contact blades 15, 15. The inner end of the blade 15 passed through the slot 14 and the adjacent end of the fusible element 9 overlap and surrounding the overlapped ends is a substantially rectangular clamping collar 16 formed with an opening through which is threaded a clamping screw 17, the outer end of the screw -projecting through an opening 18 in the body 1 and Ithe slot 19 alining with 5 such opening and formed in the flange of the adjacent cap.

' The exposed end of the fusible element,

that is the end overlapping the tension device 13 is preferably stamped with the trade name of the fuse and the' capacit thereof.

When the parts of the fuse ca ridge are assembled as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, such cartridge may be connected in the line by means of the contact blades and the 15 usual contact to receive such blades. Should an excessive current pass through the fuse, the fusible element 9 will melt at the central portion thereof within the capsule 6 and as soon as the fusible element is ruptured, the

spring 13 reacts and so draws the adjacent end of the strip outwardly through the slot 12 in the adjacent cap 4, thereby indicating that the fuse has blown. To replace the ruptured fusible element, the end cap 4 surrounding the clamping collar 16 and clamping screw 17 is removed and the clamping device also taken out of the body. The capsule may now be withdrawn from the body and the screw 5 holding the particular' end of the fusible element is now taken out so that the end portion of the ruptured fusible element may be removed. A new capsule is now inserted in the tubular body 1 of the .g cartridge and one end of the fusible element carried by such capsule drawn through the slot 11 in the cap 4, passed over the leaf spring 13 and fixed by means of the particular screw 5. The clamping device is now w placed about the remaining end of the fusible element and the particular blade 15 and the other cap 4 placed upon the body 1 and secured thereto. The clamped end of the fusible element projects through the slot 14 in the cap 4 and such end is grasped and a pull exerted upon the fusible element thereby placing the spring 13 under tension and disposing the outer end thereof within the recess 12 in the particular cap 4. The clamp ing screw 17 .is now moved into engagement with the blade 15 to clamp the latter and the adjacent end of the fusible element within the clamping collar and so hold the fusible element taut. The projecting end of the fusible element may now be cut off or 5 otherwise removed, and the cartridge, as a whole, restored to the line.

In the modified form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 6, 7 and 8, the cartridge comprises an open ended tubular body 20 6 having the ends thereof closed through the medium of cup-shaped caps 21, 21 having the flanges thereof formed with apertures alining with apertures in the body and with threaded openings in annular bands 22 disposed within the body 20 adjacent to the extremities thereof. Passed through these alining apertures and openings are securing screws 23 whereby the caps are rigidly fastened upon the ends of the body so that accidental disconnection of the parts is elirnihated. In the present instance, the end wall passed through an opening 28 in the flange 80 of the cap and working through a slot 29- in the adjacent end portion of the body 20. The end wall of the remaining cap 21 is formed with a slot 30 alining with the slot 24 and formed in the outer surface of such 85 end wall and the contiguous portion of the flange is a recess 31 in which is seated a leaf spring 32 having one end fixed within the flanged portionof the recess by`means of one of the securing screws 23. 33 designates a 90 fusible element and this element is passed through the body 20 and has one end passed through the slot 30 and over the outer end of the leaf spring 32 and secured to the particular screw 23 passed through such spring, 95 while the remaining end of the fusible element is passed through the clamping collar 26 over the lug 25 and through the slot 24. This last mentioned end of the fusible element is designed to be grasped and pulled so that the fusible element within the body will be drawn taut to place the leaf spring under tension and when the outer end of the leaf spring has been disposed within the recess the screw 27 is tightened so as to effectively secure the fusible element within the body, the slack portion of the fusible element being cut off. The fuse cartridge as thus constructed is designed to be placed directly into contact jaws and the caps 21 form the electrical connections between4 the fusible element and the jaws.

In the modified construction illustrated in Fig. 9, contact jaws 34, 34 are passed into the body 20 through the slots 30 and 24 respectively in the end walls of the caps, and the lugk 25 is dispensed with, the clamping de vice being carried upon the inner end of the adjacent contact jaw. l

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction, mode of operation and manner of employing my improved refillable fuse cartridge will be readily apparent It will be seen that I have provided a fuse cartridge wherein the fusible element may be readily and conveniently replaced when the same has been ruptured and whereby the condition of the fusible element will be at all 180 ILA- A times indicated upon the exterior surface of the cartridge.

While I have herein shown and described certain preferred forms of my invention by Way of illustration, I Wish it to be understood that I do not limit or confine myself to the precise details of construction herein described and delineated, as modification and variation may be made Within the scope of the claim Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

A fuse cartridge including a tubular openended body, caps closing the ends of said body, means for removably securing the caps to the body, a clamping device disposed within one end of the body, said means including a collar and a set screw, the latter passing through the cap and body and into the collar, a fuse element adapted to be secured in said clamping device, said fuse element being projected through the cap at the end of the body opposite the clamping device, the terminal of the fuse element being secured eXteriorly of the body by the means for securing the cap to the body, and a leaf spring secured in place by said cap securing means and underlying that portion of the fusible element disposed exteriorly of the cap.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

IRVIN E. BARRICKLOW. Witnesses:

H. B. DENsoN, H. C. KELSEY. 

